The Bossy Nutritionist explains why diets don't work

Layla Flower is owner of The Bossy Nutritionist a nutrition, fitness and wellness coaching practice in the North Bay. Her unique programs are designed to help empower people to create healthier eating patterns, improve health, lose weight for life, reduce stress and create a peaceful relationship with food and their bodies.

"I get to be bossy because I know how to help people. I'm just bossy enough because I really care," she said.

Like a lot of people, I think about diets in January. January is my "beat myself up" month when I vow to mend my ways, exercise and eat healthier. These resolutions usually last about three days.

"Diets don't work because they are typically too radical to sustain. What works is making small healthy, lifestyle changes that you can sustain for life; drinking more water, moving more, and simply eating less," said Flower.

Instead of joining a health club and waiting in line to get on the equipment behind all the other newbies, why not consider speaking to

a nutritionist first?

"Diet is 80 percent of weight loss. Meeting with a nutritionist will help you understand your own unique dietary needs. Once you have an eating plan that works for you exercise will be that much easier as you will feel better from the inside out.

I wanted Layla to name five bad foods that everyone should cross off their grocery shopping lists. She had a better idea.

"I would really like people to focus on buying whole foods rather than packaged and

1) Soda: Diet and regular and all energy drinks all of which supply chemicals, sugar and or artificial sweeteners that are proven to lead to health problems and added weight.

2) Sugar: Sugar is in everything and it is addictive, causing huge spikes in blood sugar and negatively effecting health, energy, mood and weight.

3) Processed foods: Real food is more satisfying, much healthier and more economical

and environmental.

4) Energy bars: Bars with more than nuts and fruit are glorified candy bars. Eat some nuts and fruit instead.

5) Fast food: "It's kind of like cancer in a wrapper!"

What about water? Everybody talks about how important plain water is to a diet, but so many people dread drinking boring water. How does Flowers get her clients embrace drinking water every day?

"I tell my clients to just do it! Add some fresh Meyer lemon or cucumber slices to it. People who drink eight, 8-ounces glasses of water per day eat less, have more regular digestion, and burn an additional

100 calories a day," she said.

What about someone who isn't much of a cook? It seems that eating a more balanced diet requires becoming a gourmet cook.

"Making simple good food is cost effective and won't take much time at all. You can make a healthy, delicious and EASY stir-fry in about 15 minutes put it over brown rice and have leftovers for lunch," she said.

Flowers suggests that cooking up a grain (brown rice or quinoa) on Sundays for the week and having some chicken or prawns in the freezer/fridge along with some veggies allow you to easily whip up healthy meal,"

she said.

For easy and quick recipes check out Cookinglight.com, which has simple 20-minute meals of which Flowers approves.

She also stresses that a tight budget shouldn't be an excuse for poor nutrition.

Her top five low cost foods that are easy to prepare and packed with beneficial nutrients include:

2) Eggs are a great source of lean protein (2 per day for most are fine).

3) Organic spinach, either fresh or frozen is loaded with fiber, iron and minerals.

4) Whole oats are great source of whole grain satisfying fiber, low glycemic so you get a steady source of fuel.

5) Organic apples really can keep the doctor away, help with weight control and have fiber and vitamins.

"You can make a spinach lentil soup for lunch or dinner. Cook oats savory or sweet with apple or with egg and spinach. A hardboiled egg and apple is a great mid morning snack or light breakfast. Eggs and spinach make a quick easy dinner," she explained.

The original health and exercise guru Jack LaLanne used to say, "If it tastes good, spit it out!" Layla Flower, The Bossy Nutritionist, begs to differ. She says many people have taste buds that are used to over-salted, over-sugared food.

"Once you start eating healthier, clean food your taste buds will change. I hear it all the time, 'I am craving veggies and salmon now' or 'my apple and peanut butter is my new favorite treat,'" she said.

When Flower says real food is delicious food I believe her.

"I tell my clients if they aren't saying 'Yum!' after each meal something isn't adding up. There are too many delicious natural foods to not love everything